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Šefčovič named new Slovak European commissioner

Maroš Šefčovič, Slovakia’s ambassador to the EU, has been appointed European commissioner to replace Ján Figel’, who is returning to domestic politics.

With effect from Thursday (1 October), Šefčovič will take over from Figel’ the portfolio of education, training, culture and youth for the rest of the lifetime of the current Commission. The expectation is that he will be nominated as Slovakia’s commissioner in the next administration, which José Manuel Barroso, the reappointed president, is currently putting together.

Šefčovič, 43, has been ambassador to the EU since 1 October 2004. He was director-general for European affairs in the Slovak foreign ministry in the year before Slovakia’s admission to the EU. He was deputy head of the mission to the EU in 1998, before being posted as ambassador in Tel Aviv, where he worked from 1999-2002.

Married with three children, Šefčovič has a degree in international law and a doctorate in European law.

Figel’ stepped down after he was elected as chairman of the Slovak opposition party, the Christian Democratic Movement.